Fena: Pirate Princess – Anime Review

Fena: Pirate Princess is the first co-production in a while between Adult Swim/Cartoon Network and an anime studio (in this case, Production IG), possibly the first major series since the second season of The Big O. With an animation style and plot that feels like it’s meant to evoke Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water and The Mysterious Cities of Gold, while leaning into the “anime-ness” in a way that feels similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender, except in the sense of an anime studio looking at Avatar and going, “We can do this.” The question then is – can they do this?

Alexander CaseNovember 13, 2021October 31, 2021Leave a comment

News

Kumoricon 2021 Con Report

After being an online convention for 2020, Kumoricon 2021 returned to being an in-person convention. Certainly, part of this is undoubtedly related to not having an order from the City of Portland or the Governor that would prevent the convention from being held in person, and in the process setting off the Force Majure clause of their contract. That said, Otakon 2021 was also held in person and managed to be held without a significant COVID-19 outbreak, which was a positive sign. Further, the Oregon Convention Center had its air filtration system upgraded part due to the outbreak (both because of being a vaccination site and possible field hospital last year) and also because of being an evacuation site due to the wildfires last year, I felt safe enough to attend the convention in person, so it’s time for some thoughts.

Alexander CaseNovember 12, 2021November 7, 20211 Comment

Let's Play

Let’s Play Tactics Ogre PSP: Ep. 70 – Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal

Our fight is interrupted when it turns out the non-aggression pact… wasn’t.

Alexander CaseNovember 11, 2021October 30, 2021Leave a comment

Anime

Wicked City: Anime Review

I guess I’m doing an unintentional theme week, when it comes to hard-boiled urban fantasy, as this time I’m taking a look at the anime film Wicked City, based on a novel by Hideyuki Kukichi, and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri.

Alexander CaseOctober 30, 2021October 14, 2021

Anime

Re-Main Anime Review

Re-Main is the latest of what I’d call a series of anime series made with the Summer Olympics in mind, highlighting various sports from the game, including Sk-8: The Infinity (Skateboarding), Sport Climbing Girls (Bouldering and Speed Climbing), and Wave!! (Surfing). While those covered some of the new sports at these Olympic games, Re-Main focuses a longer, more established Summer Olympic sport – Water Polo.

Alexander CaseOctober 22, 2021October 5, 2021

News

Evangelion 3.0+1.01 Anime Review

I have, at long last, watched the (to date) final Evangelion film, Evangelion 3.0+1.01: Thrice Upon A Time. I have some considerable thoughts about this – and I’d like to talk about them with spoilers, so the entirety of my review will be below the cut.

Alexander CaseOctober 21, 2021September 27, 2021

Anime, News

My Hero Academia Season 5: Anime Review

From the discussions I’ve seen online as the season went on, My Hero Academia Season 5 is probably the most divisive season of the show thus far, between those who have been reading the manga, and those who have been watching the show, and a lot of that comes down to the decisions made around the final arc of the season, the My Villain Academia arc. It’s not that the season is bad, it’s that the narrative decisions that were made about where they would include that arc in the season was very controversial.

Alexander CaseOctober 8, 2021October 8, 2021

Anime

The Detective Is Already Dead: Anime Review

There’s a point, in a flashback sequence in The Detective Is Already Dead, where the titular Detective, Siesta, is asked by our protagonist and her sidekick, Kimihiko, why she calls herself a detective when she’s closer to being a spy. Siesta responds that she protects the interests of her client, which what a detective does, so she chooses to identify herself (professionally) as a Detective. This kind of encapsulates the show in a nutshell.

Alexander CaseOctober 5, 2021September 20, 2021

Anime

HameFura Season 2: Anime Review

My Next Life As A Villainess All Routes Lead To Doom X (or HameFura Season 2 for short) – continues the adventures of Katarina Claes. In the first season she successfully survived the events of the otome game “Fortune Lover” after being reincarnated as that game’s antagonist – and in the process got every possible route (and rival, and the game’s protagonist) to fall for her, all without deliberately trying to do so, and she is still unaware of this fact. Now with a bright future ahead of her, clearly it’s all just slice of life comedy, right? Well… not exactly.

Alexander CaseOctober 1, 2021September 18, 2021

Anime

Mother of the Goddess’ Dormitory: Anime Review

I have been known to enjoy a fan-service anime or two in varying circumstances – even series with premises that, at first glance can be skeezy, can be executed well – as with What The Hell Are You Doing Here, Teacher? I had hoped that Mother of the Goddess’ Dormitory would fit into that criteria – and it almost does. However, it has a few points that don’t quite make it work.

Alexander CaseSeptember 30, 2021September 17, 2021

Anime

Night Head 2041: Anime Review

I normally don’t review shows when I drop them, though considering my reasons for dropping Babylon in 2019, I probably should have done so. Considering that, and with how far I got in Night Head 2041, I feel I’ve watched enough of the show to make it worth reviewing. And, much like Babylon, it had done enough to draw me in, in spite of some serious red flags, that I do want to talk about it.

Alexander CaseSeptember 28, 2021September 17, 2021

Video games

Utawarerumono Mask of Truth: Video Game Review

Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth picks up (more or less) right where Mask of Deception’s Story ended. The game mechanics are pretty much the same as those from the previous game, with the addition of a very well done tutorial mode that not only provides a solid refresher on the base mechanics, it also does a very solid job of getting across some higher skill level techniques, to help if you get in a tight spot.

Alexander CaseSeptember 25, 2021September 4, 2021

Anime

Anime Vlog Review: Lupin The Third – The First

The latest Lupin the Third movie got a second theatrical run (because the first ran into Lockdown), and I got to go see it.

Alexander CaseSeptember 8, 2021September 1, 2021

Anime

Editorial: The Crunchyroll/Funimation Merger Finalized

I have a video this week recorded the day it was announced that the Crunchyroll/Funimation merger had been finalized. I give my thoughts on the merger, and a couple different directions it could go.

Alexander CaseSeptember 1, 2021August 12, 2021

Anime

Anime Review: Shirobako The Movie

I’ve gone and seen another recent/new release anime film in theaters, as a Fathom Event – this time the sequel to Shirobako, which I’ve reviewed previously.

Alexander CaseAugust 18, 2021August 12, 2021

Anime

Anime Vlog Review: Fate/Stay Night Heaven’s Feel

I’ve finally seen the last installment of the Fate/Stay Night Heaven’s Feel Trilogy – which means it’s time to give my thoughts on Ufotable’s adaptations of these routes of the game.

Alexander CaseJuly 28, 2021July 21, 2021

Anime, Role Playing Games

The Anime Appendix N: Fantasy (Part 1)

This time I’m starting off talking about some Fantasy anime that are worthy of consideration, and introduce a concept I’ll be revisiting over the course of this series – the Axis of Emotional/Comedic Intensity.

Alexander CaseJune 23, 2021June 11, 2021